Article container



Oct. 30, 1962 w. F. STEPHEN 3,061,080

ARTICLE CONTAINER Filed Nov. 6, 1961 INVENTOR. %z 75? fJTA-PHEN UnitedStates Patent 3,061,080 ARTICLE CQNTAINER Walter F. Stephen, Boulder,Colo. (743 S. Woicott St, Casper, Wyo.) Filed Nov. 6, 1961, Ser. No.150,231 2 Claims. (Cl. 2061) This invention relates to a container andholder for rubber bands and the like.

In instances where rubber bands are used in quantities for securingarticles together, it is a time-consuming operation to separate theindividual bands from a loose pile of bands with one hand While thearticle is being held in the other hand. One instance of such a use isby paper boys who roll or fold the paper and then hold it in the foldedor rolled condition with one hand while they endeavor to separate a bandfrom a pile or box of bands with the other hand so that it may beslipped over the held paper.

The principal object of this invention is the provide a rubber bandcontainer which will allow a plurality of bands to be lifted and whichwill automatically grip and support the bands in a separated, uprightposition so that they may be readily and individually grasped.

Another object is to provide a slotted lid for a rubber band containerwhich will prevent accidental spillage or loss of the bands and whichwill allow the bands to be readily grasped for removal without anynecessity for removal of the lid.

A further object is to provide resilient means in a container lid whichwill automatically grip and hold rubber bands or similar articles in anupright, externallyprojecting, and easily grasped position to eliminatethe necessity for manual separation of the bands.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved rubber band container andholder as it would appear in use; and

FIG. 2 is a cross section therethrough taken on the line 22, FIG. 1,showing how the bands in the container are reached.

The invention comprises a cup-like, preferably rectangular how of anysuitable material to which a flange lid 11, of relatively stiff yetflexible plastic such as poly-ethylene, corresponding in horizontaloutline to the bowl 10, is removably fitted. The lid is either fittedsufliciently tight to the bowl to securely retain itself in place or isprovided with means for detachably retaining itself such asprotuberences 12 on the container fitting receiving sockets 17 in thelid, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The lid is perforated adjacent each corner as indicated at 13 and knifecuts 14 extend from each perforation 13 to the perforation 13 at theopposite corner so that the cuts will intersect each other at the middleof the lid.

The cuts 14 divide the lid into four triangular, flexible tongueportions 15 with their apexes coinciding at the middle of the lid andwith their adjacent inclined edges in substantial contact throughouttheir lengths.

In use, the container is partially filled with rubber bands, asindicated at 16. The user depresses the tongue portions 15 and grasps aplurality of the most easily reached bands, as shown in FIG. 2, andlifts them upwardly. As his hand moves upwardly the flexible tongueswill close together gripping the rising bands therebetween so that thelatter Will slide from the users fingers and be retained in upstanding,easily grasped positions, as shown in FIG. 1.

The upstanding bands are then individually pulled for use and when allare used the users fingers are again inserted to bring another batch ofbands between the lid tongues.

Whilu the invention has been described for use with rubber bands towhich it is more applicable, it is possible that it will be found usefulfor other articles of a similar nature such as paper clips or the like.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be variedwithin the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. An article holder comprising: a substantially square bowl-likecontainer; a substantially square flexible, plastic lid fitted over saidcontainer and closing the top thereof; and two exceedingly narrow slotsextending diagonally from corner to corner across said lid andintersecting each other at the middle of said lid to divide the entiresurface of said lid into four similar flexible triangular tongues withtheir apexes together at the middle of said lid, the four sides of saidlid forming the bases of said four triangular tongues so that the entirearea of said lid can be manually flexed downwardly to allow articles tobe removed from said container between the thumb and finger of a user.

2. A rubber band container, holder and dispenser comprising: arectangular bowl; a rectangular flanged lid fitted downwardly over andabout the top of said bowl; a perforation formed in each corner of andthrough said lid closely adjacent the peripheral edges thereof; and aknife cut extending through said lid from each corner perforationdiagonally across said lid to the diagonallyopposite perforation todivide said lid into four triangular portions with their apexescoinciding at the middle of said lid the bases of said triangularportions flexiblly joining said lid between said perforations andparallel to the peripheral edges of said lid, the altitude of saidtriangular portions being sufficient to allow them to be sufficientlydepressed by the thumb and fingers of a user to allow rubber bands to begrasped from said container by the thumb and fingers and lifted upwardlyso that said bands will be gripped and supported in said knife cuts asthe triangular portions return to their normal positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,553,232 Beyer May 15, 1951

